Dodd improves, but still trails

Longtime Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) continues to trail former Republican Rep. Rob Simmons, but he has made up some ground in the past two months, according to the latest Quinnipiac poll on the likely 2010 Senate race match up.

Simmons leads 45%-39%, down from his 50%-34% lead April 2. Dodd's movement, though, is because of improvement among Democrats, which express support for him by a 67%-16% margin -- up from 58%-38% in April.

Dodd still, though, has a low ceiling, so far. And a majority of Connecticut voters disapprove of his job, 53%-38%, which is only a slight improvement from April when 58% disapproved and 33% approved.

"Sen. Christopher Dodd's numbers are getting better, but they are still lousy," Quinnipiac Poll Director Douglas Schwartz said in a release. "He still has high negatives: About half of the voters don't trust Dodd and disapprove of the job he is doing. And he is still behind Simmons in a general election matchup. But Dodd is an exceptionally skilled politician, and he has plenty of time. He is lucky to get this early warning more than a year before the election."

Even Joe Lieberman continues to have a higher -- albeit split (46%-44%) -- approval than the Banking Committee chairman.